EQUINOX

This was Styx's 5th album and their most mature to date, released in 1975 on the heels of their previous disc "Man Of Miracles." On "Miracles" Styx began experimenting with a slightly more progressive style and they began to fully explore it on this disc!! Sadly it was the final album with the founding line-up, as John Curulewski decided to call it quits right before the band was to hit the road to promote this disc. Curulewski had several short lived bands, and he was owner of his own recording studio until his untimely death in the late 1980's.

What is there to say about this album that hasn't been said? The live favorite, ode to weed, "Light Up" is still played now and again today as is the next song "Lorelei." The following tracks "Mother Dear" and "Lonely Child" are some of the most underrated songs by Styx and have been relegated to the dark recesses of unpopular album tracks. The final four songs are all excellent!! "Born For Adventure" and "Midnight Ride" are some of the band's heavier rockers and they lead perfectly into Curulewski's beautiful guitar piece, "Prelude 12."

We then find ourselves immersed in the 6 and a half minute long masterpiece, written by Dennis DeYoung for the bicentennial celebrations, one of the greatest Styx songs of all time, a song still played today and still rotated on classic rock radio..."Suite Madame Blue." This song opitomizes what Styx were and what they would soon become; a classic piece that starts out with some slow acoustic guitars and takes you up through soaring vocals and into a wonderful hard rock certerpiece that ends the album in fine form!!!

People seem to love or hate Styx based on some stupid belief of what prog rock should be or is!!!! In my opinion, Styx is NOT a prog rock band!!! They are a rock band with a few prog elements! People need to appreciate music for what it is and not what genre or subcategory it should belong to!!! If this is you, I'm sorry to tell you that you might be missing out on some of the greatest NON PROG songs and albums of all time!!!

Go buy this CD!! It may never make you love Styx, but it will certainly give you an appreciation for a great rock band from the good old US of A!!!!!!!